Epoxy adhesives are well-known in the art. These epoxy adhesives have many uses, including the bonding of substrates of various kinds. Epoxies are generally made by a combination of a so-called A-side epoxy and a so-called B-side epoxy.
One known use of an epoxy is to secure a vinyl sheet or film to a particle board. The combination of the vinyl sheet or film and the particle board, luaun or medium density fiberboard creates an aesthetically pleasing, solid structure that can be used in a variety of applications, as for example as a decorative element in the interiors of either pre-fabricated homes or motor homes.
The use of epoxy on such vinyl sheet/particle board composite structures has generally proven to be effective, when those vinyl sheets are smooth and non-porous. However, problems have arisen when epoxy is used to secure an embossed vinyl onto particle boards.
This is because the embossing process creates tiny holes that pass from the front side to the back side of the vinyl. These holes may be imperceptible to the eye, but are sufficiently large to permit the passage of the epoxy. Thus, when the vinyl is secured to the particle board with the epoxy, the epoxy passes through these tiny holes. This can damage the aesthetic appearance of the vinyl.
In addition, after the epoxy is used to adhere the vinyl to the particle board, the composite structure must dry. In order to dry, the composite structures are stacked upon each other. When the epoxy seeps through the vinyl of one of the composite structures, that epoxy wets the particle board of an adjacent composite structure. A day later, when one attempts to separate the respective composite structures, the epoxy has cured, and the vinyl of the first structure is adhered to the particle board of the adjacent structure. This prevents the "clean" separation of the adjacent composite structures, and can result in damage to those structures when one attempts their separation.
Thus, there is a need for an adhesive that will prevent the problems created by prior art epoxies.